mystery Roger has more than once been tampering with this Mr. Tongue and at Christmas last renew'd his Intrigue with him much about the same time Fairwell and Pain began privately to broach their Sham now if Godfrey's Murder could have been turn'd off and people been made believe that Dr. Tongue and Dr. Oats contriv'd and invented the whole Scheme of the Plot so Artificially that it deceived the King and four Parliaments and all the Judges c. Then how innocent would the poor Roman Catholicks appear and what glorious Martyrs Whitebread Coleman and the rest But this trinkling with young Tongue taking wind Roger cries Whore first and fills the World with Exclamations that Mr. Tongue forsooth had a Plot upon But Roger Roger for all your Lapwinging there is more of this matter known than you are aware of and there will come a day of Reckoning Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The fourth Volume FRIDAY May 26. 1682. Quocunque aspicies nihil est nisi Terror Orcus That the present Faith of the Church of Rome is to be refused upon pain of Damnation The Woes threatned to them that abide in her Communion Greater the Sin and more sore the punishment of such as revolt unto her The Judgment of the ancient Divines of the Church of England in the Case TO reinforce and corroborate what we offer'd in our last of the extream hazard all that continue in the Romish Church at this day do run in Relation to their Eternal State We shall now advance and endeavour to Demonstrate the following Proposition viz. That the Faith of the Church of Rome is to be refused upon pain of Damnation And First For Explanation of the Terms By the Faith of the Church of Rome is understood the Doctrine of the said Church delivered to be believed of all men that 〈◊〉 to be saved as matters revealed by God to that end And this is â—â—â—sidered as one individual or singular thing for though indeed it be divided into several Articles of which it consists yet it is conceived by themselves as one intire Body because they are all knit together by the same Bond namely by being assented to and believed upon one and the same reason and all to be received on pain of the same Anathema Thus Fisher the Jesuite under the Mask of A. D. in his Treatise of Faith Ca. 4. Faith must be intire whole and sound in all points and it is not sufficient stedfastly to believe some points mis-believing or not believing other some or any one For not to believe any one Point whatsoever which God by revealing it doth testify to be true and which by his Church he hath commanded us to believe must needs be damnable as being a notable Injury to Gods Verity and a great disobedience to his Will And that Chamaelion the Arch-bishop of Spalatto when he was return'd to his Vomit in his Consilium Reditûs p. 20. asserts the same All Articles saith he of Faith determined by the Church are fundamental none of them may be deny'd without Heresie Thus every Member of the Church of Rome must as stedfastly and absolutely believe the least point of Reliques Images Purgatory c. delivered by the Council of Trent as the greatest mysteries of the Godhead Trinity Incarnation c. And if he deny any of the former he is no less an Heretick than if he deny'd any of the latter Yea though he believe all that they propound to be believed save some one he is for want of believing that one if he know that the Church propounds it to be believed a Miscreant or Mis-believer The reason of which is this that if the Church may err in one thing it may err in another and so can be no sure foundation of Faith Now to refuse the Faith of the Church of Rome is nothing else but not to acknowledge the Doctrin by her delivered to be true but to abhor it as false not of every particular point but of all joyntly together For we freely acknowledge that the Papists do hold several great mysteries of Divinity truly and soundly wherein we also agree with them but yet we may not receive their Faith for true as it is by them delivered for one Intire body of Divinity revealed by God to be believed by all men that will â—e saved So that to refuse the Faith of the Church of Rome is not to believe that it is true or to believe that it is false and this we say is required by every man upon pain of Damnation Which words Vpon pain of Damnation are not so to be understood as if we presumed to pronounce sentence of Condemnation against all that continue in the Church of Rome we have disclaim'd such Temerity but thereby is meant that the believing that Doctrin as a matter of Faith is a thing in it self damnable that is such as maketh a man liable to damnation How it shall fall out with particular men in the event we neither know nor take upon us to inquire only we say that their mis-belief is such a sin as setteth them in a state of Damnation To prove this we must consider That there are Two ways by which sin leadeth a man into the state of damnation The one is the desert or fitness it hath to procure damnation The other is the actual meriting or deserving of Salvation Into the former sin casteth a man off it self Into the latter he falleth as by sin so by the Ordinance or Decree of God who hath laid the penalty of Damnation upon it Hence ariseth this Argument against receiving the Faith of the Romish Church That which maketh a man unclean in Gods sight hath a fitness to procure Damnation For unclean things are unmeet for the presence of God and consequently meet for Damnation But the Faith of the Church of Rome maketh a man unclean in the sight of God For it is erroneous in so high a nature as we have proved that it makes a man guilty of High Treason against God by Installing the Pope in the Throne of God giving him Power and Authority to determine as a Judge what is matter of Faith and what not without any Commission or Warrant from God Nor do they only give him authority to Interpret the Scripures but also allow him to set up a Forge of Tradition where he Hammers what he listeth and Vends it to be received upon pain of Damnation for the word of the ever living God What is it to fulfill that of the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 4. To sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God if this be not And must not all they needs be accessaries to this High Treason that acknowledge such his Usurp'd Authority and yield obedience to it Or how can it be reasonably denied that there is a worthiness and fitness in the Faith of the Church of Rome to procure Damnation Therefore
cause which persons do also preach divers matters of Slander to engender Discord and Dissention betwixt divers Estatés of the said Realm as well Spiritual as Temporal in exciting of the people to the great peril of the Realm Which Preachers cited or summoned before the Ordinaries of the places there to answer of that whereof they be impeached will not obey to their Summons and Commandments nor care for their Monitions nor Censures of the Holy Church but expresly despise them And moreover by their subtle and ingenious words do draw the people to hear their Sermons and do maintain them in their Errors by strong Hand and great Routs It is ordained and assented in this present Parliament That the King's Edmmissions be made and directed to the Sheriffs and other Miuisters of our Soveraign Lord the King or other sufficient persons Learned and according to the Certifications of the Prelates thereof to be made in Chancery from time to time to arrest all such Preachers and also their Faitors Maintainers and Abettors and to hold them in Arrest and strong Prison 'till they will justifie them according to the Law and Reason of Holy Church And the King wills and commandeth That the Chancellor make such Commissions at all times that he by the Prelates or any of them shall be certified and thereof required as is aforesaid This was the first pretended Statute that ever was in England for imprisoning Christians for Religious opinions and by colour thereof the Bishops committed great Cruelties I call it pretended Statute for tho it be enter'd in the Parliament Rolls yet it was no Legal Act for it never pass'd the Commons And therefore at the next Parliament in Michaelmas Term following the Commons preferr'd a Bill â—eciting the same and constantly affirmed That they never assented thereunto and therefore desired that the said supposed Statute be annull'd and made void for they protested That it was never their intent that either themselves or such as shall succeed them should be farther subject or bound to the Prelates than were their Ancestors in former times And to this the King gave his Royal Assent in these words Il plaist au Roy The King is pleas'd that it be so Cook 3 Instit fo 40. Foxes Acts and Monuments fo 406. But that you may more fully understand the fraud and subtlety of their Reverences in this Affair you must understand That before the invention of Printing the usual way of publishing Acts of Parliament was to engross them in Parchment and send them with the King 's Writ into every County commanding the Sheriff to proclaim them Now John Braibrook Bishop of London being then Lord Chancellor of England he by a Writ dated 26 May Anno Regni Regis R. 2. quinto sent down the before recited Ordinance of the King and Prelates amongst the Statutes that were then lately pass'd But no less knavishly left out in the next Parliamentary Proclamation the said Act of Revocation whereby the said supposed Statute was made void by which means afterwards the other still pass'd as an Act and was printed continually as such but the Act that disannull'd it was by the Interest of the Prelates from time to time kept out of the Prints the better to give colour to their imprisoning of the Laity at their pleasure And farther to make sure work Henry the Fourth having usurp'd the Crown to gratifie the Clergy who had chiefly assisted him therein in the second year of his Raign he at their Instigation procured the following cruel and wicked Law to be Enacted commonly call'd The Statute Ex Officio which that the Reader may the better observe the Spirit of Popery and Persecution and compare the Times and Actings of Men in past and more modern Times I hope it shall neither be thought tedious nor unuseful to recite the same at large Verbatim it not being now extant in Kceble or any of our Common Statute Books ITem Whereas it is shewed to our Soveraign Lord the King on the behalf of the Prelates and Clergy of this Realm of England in this present Parliament That altho the Catholick Faith builded upon Christ and by his Apostles and the holy Church sufficiently determined declared and approved hath been hitherto by good and holy and most noble Progeniâ—ors of our Soveraign Lord the King in the said Realm amongst all the Realms of the World most devoutly observ'd and the Church of England by his said most noble Progenitors and Ancestors to the honour of God and of the whole Realm aforesaid landably endow'd and in her Rights and Liberties sustain'd without that that the same Faith or the said Church was hurt or grievously oppressed or else perturbed by any perverse Doctrine or Wicked Heretical or Erronious Opinions Yet nevertheless divers false and perverse people of a certain new Sect of the Faith of the Sacraments of the Church and the Authority of the same damnably thinking and against the Law of God and of the Church usurping the Office of Preaching do perversly and maliciously in divers places within the said Realm under the colour of dissembled Holiness preach and teach these days openly and privily divers nâ—w Doctrines and wicked Heretical and Erronious Opinions contrary to the same Faith and blessed Determinations of the holy Church And of such Sect and wicked Doctrine and Opinions they make unlawful Conventicles and Confederacies they hold and exercise Schools they make and write Books they do wickedâ—y instruct and inform people and as much as they may excite and stir them to Sedition and Insurrection and maketh great strife and division among the people and other Enormities horribly to be heard daily do perpetrate and commit in subversion of the Catholick Faith and Doctrine of the holy Church in diminution of God's honour and also in destruction of the Estate Rights and Liberties of the said Church of England by which Sect and wicked and false Preachings Doctrine and Opinions of the said false and perverse people not only most great peril of the Souls but also many more other hurts slanders and perils which God prohibit might come to this Realm unless it be the more plentifully and speedily holpen by the King's Majesty in this behalf namely whereas the Diocesans of the said Realm cannot by their Jurisdiction Spiritual without Aid of the said Royal Majesty sufficiently correct the said false and perverse people nor refrain their Malice because the said false and perverse people do go from Diocess to Diocess and will not appear before the said Diocesan but the same Diocesans and their Jurisdiction Spiritual and the Keys of the Church with the Censures of the same do utterly contemn and despise and so their wicked Preachings and Doctrines doth from day to day continue and exercise to the hatred of Right and Reason and utter destruction of Order and good Rule Vpon which Novelties and Excesses above rehearsed the Prelates and Clergy aforesaid and also the Commons of the said Realm being in
loth to look so far my only care is and all good Subjects ought to be for our Queens Majesties Preservation What other Title soever be pretended be it good or bad if it shall once threaten danger to the Queen's Majesty whose Title and Governance we know to be true and have felt to be good I wish it destroyâ—d and put out of hope lest it hope too soon too much too high and join with too many Thus the very syllables of that Author Tory. Well! and what the Devil does all this signifie The idle Dream I 'le warrant ye of some seditious Puritanical Whig Truem. The Book Sir was printed by Authority and seems but to express the general fears and apprehensions Protestants were then in from the prospect of a Popish Successor But the truth is Mr. L'Estrange was a little too young to be Licenser in those days Tory. Why there 's the business Tempora mutantur Protestants dread a Popish Successor I must tell you Sir that whoever is cautious against such a Blessing is Ipso facto to be reputed stigmatiz'd and prosecuted as a Whig a damn'd Phanatick a Rascal a Traitor and infallibly an Enemy to the Church of England as by Law establish'd and all this if need be we will have proved as plain as the way to Dunstable in the next Observator Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY April 28. 1682. Papae tempus adest magnò cum optaverit empâ—um Intactam hanc Gentem cum spolia ista diemque Oderit Arguments proving the Church of Rome not to be the true Church of Christ IN our last we Explain'd the Notion of a Church in its several Acceptations as far as was necessary and offer'd one Reason then why the Roman Church was not to be esteemed a true Church We now proceed to Consider the same a little further And our Second Argument shall for the greater Authority be taken from the Profest Publick Doctrine of The Church of England if the Book of Articles and Homiles be allowed to Contain her Doctrine which some Mens Heterodoxies and bold Preachments of quite contrary Tenets whilst they yet vapour and boast themselves as the only true Churchmen has rendred a Quaere Argument 2. The true Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same But the Church of Rome is not a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Therefore the Church of Rome is not a true visible Church of Christ The Major is the Express Words of the Nineteenth Article of the Church of England And least any should say That we may indeed from hence conclude Affirmatively not Negatively viz. That where these Marks are There is a Church but not that where they are not there is no Church be pleased to take notice That the Church of England delivers these Words by way of Definition of a Church describing it by the proper Marks Now a Definition all that understand the Art of Reasoning know is not only positive in it self but Exclusive and Negative in regard of that to which it is Oppos'd The Minâ—r is also declar'd and asserted by our Church in her Homilies As for Example in That for Whit-sunday part 2 d. We have these Passages First It speaking of the Church of Rome wants these true and proper Marks of a true Church having before mentioned these very Marks For neither are they Built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrine of Christ Jesus neither do they Order the Sacraments or Ecclesiastical Keys in such sort as he did first Institute and Ordain them Again They want the Spirit of God if it be possible to be there where the true Church is not then it is at Rome Again He that is of God heareth Gods Word whereof it followeth That the Popes in not hearing Christs Voice do plainly argue to the World that they are not of Christ nor yet possest of his Spirit Thus the Homily whereby I think this Argument is sufficiently supported and will appear Cogent to all such as own themselves Soâ—â— of the Church of England and indeed 't is pity any such should now be to be Informed That the Church of Rome is no true Church Nor is this Argument less strong in it self against the Papists For the Proposition is St. Paul's Gal. 1. 8. That Man or Angel and by parity of Reason That Church which teacheth otherwise than the Apostles taught is accursed and whether such Church offend herein by adding to Christs Doctrine or by detracting or taking from it 't is all one the Crime is the sameâ— 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another thing another Gospel For as for taking away as the Apostle saith Whoever shall keep the whole Law and yeâ— offend in one point he is Guilty of all James 2. 10. So most truly too saith St. Ambrose in his Sixth Book upon Luke Negat Christum qui non omnia quae Christi sunt Confitetur He denyeth Christ who doth not confess and acknowledge all that Christ taught And for adding unto the same Father Writing upon those words Be not the Servants of Men 1 Cor. 7. 23. thus testifieth Servi hominum sunt qui Humanis se subjiciunt Superstitionibus They are the Servants of Men that submit themselves to Humane Traditions And if they are the Servants of Men they are not the Servants of Christ So St. Paul concludeth Gal. 1. 10. So that the Proposition as it is Asserted by the Church of England so is it likewise Justified by the Authority of the Holy Scripture and ancient Fathers Then as for the Assumption That in the Church of Rome neither the Word of God is truly Preached nor the Sacraments duly Administred is notorious for as to Doctrine they have added their own Figments as Transubstantiation Purgatory c. and do Preach contrary Doctrines to the Scripture and as touching the Sacraments they have not only Augmented the Number and made Five new ones of their own which Christ never Instituted viz. Confirmation Orders Pennance Matrimony and Extream Vnction But also they have utterly Corrupted those Two which our Lord Ordain'd For in Baptism besides Water they use Spettle Salt Oyl Chrism contrary to the Institution and they lay such a necessity upon this Institution That all that dye without it even Infants they say are Damn'd See Bellarm. de Baptism L. 1. Ca. 4. and Rhem. Annot. on John the 3 d. In the Lords Supper they have turned the Sacrament to a Sacrifice made an Idol of Bread changed the Communion into private Masses
but the Pope refus'd to Crown him unless he would first promise to Ratify the pretended donation of Constantine and also grant all those things de novo and swear forthwith to depart Italy All which Valla cannot mention without Indignation what saith he would be more absurd than to be crown'd Emperor and at the same time renounce Rome to be Crowned of him who he confesseth and as much as in him lieth maketh Lord of the Roman Empire And to Ratify a donation which if it be true leaveth to the Emperor nothing of the Empire which I think Children would not have done I shall not mention all the quarrels of this Pope the greatest part of whose times was spent in Wars and Bloodshed insomuch that the Romans not able to endure his Cruelties once drove him out of the City making him run away in the habit of a Monk and pelting him with durt and stones whence he retired to Florence and remained there some time but having by his friends again reduc'd Rome to his obedience he used greater severities than ever and notwithstanding he had so approv'd of the Council of Basil yet now will needs dissolve it and accordingly recalls Cardinal Julian his Legate from thence on the other side the Fathers of the Council by their Letters first intreat and afterwards admonish him to come thither himself or at least not to disturb the peace of the Church by offering to obstruct their proceedings but he persisting and appointing another Anti-Council at Ferrara they formally Cite Accuse Adjure suspend and at last depose him from the Popedome and in his room Elect Amades Duke of Savoy by the name of Felix the Fourth who before led an Hermits Life on the Banks of the Lake of Lausanna However Eugenius still swagger'd as Pope in Italy and having got together a Conventicle of Cardinals most of their own making and others in Ferraria in the year 1438. and next year by reason of the Pestilence removed to Florence John Palaeologus the Emperor of the East and several Bishops of the Greek Church upon a treaty that had been advanc'd for a Reconciliation between the two Churches resolved to have a personal Conference and being at Sea upon his Voyage for Italy Charles the 7 th King of France who sided with the Council of Basil sent forth a Fleet of Gallies into the Ionick Sea to meet him and acquaint him that the lawfull Council was held at Basil not at Florence and therefore to perswade him to Land in France whence he should be honourably Conducted to Basil But the Pope understanding this design by large Bribes Corrupts the Admiral of the French Gallies who willfully steering a wrong course misses the Emperour and so he Lands in Italy The presence of this Emperour and the noise of an Vnion like to be patcht up between the Two Churches added not a little lustre to the Popes Council yet the proceedings of the Council of Basil extreamly troubled him and against them he and his Council published several Bulls and writings wherein they blush not to affirm That it was so far from truth That he ought to obey general Councils that he then most merited when he contemn'd the Decrees of the Council and that this proposition The Council is above the Pope is Heretical although both then and ever since it was and has been held and affirmed by all the Universities of Christendome whence it will follow that whilst the Roman Church boasteth her self superior to all other Churches and the Roman Bishop above all other Bishops by this Decree of Eugenius the Bishop of Rome is made superior to and of higher Authority than the universal Church and consequently the pretended Infallibility of the Church should be derived not now to the Romish Church but to one only man which shews him evidently to be the Antichrist according to that Interpretation of St. Augustine de Civitate Dei Lib. 18. Cap. 2. That Antichrist should not not only sit in Templo Dei in the Temple of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Templum into the Temple As if he himself were the Temple it self and he alone the Church Besides by these Translations let the Christian Reader judge of that Infallibility of the Church represented in a Council since here he sees these Two Councils at one and the same time in one and the same question do decree things directly contrary But 't was not with Paper pellets and spiritual Thunders that this stouthearted Pope Attaqu'd the Council of Basil for a truce being concluded between the Kings of England and France whereby the Soldiers on each part were dismiss'd Eugenius subtlely Inveigles the Dauphin of France afterwards Lewis the 11 th who gathers up near 30000 of those disbanded Troops and marches towards Basil Colouring the Expedition with many remote pretences but indeed with a design to unroost the Fathers there and force them to break up But they were no sooner entered the Territories of Basil but the Cantons of Switzerland hastned to its succour and relief And 4000 Switzers with incredible Valour stood the Shock of all the great Army and continued the Battel all night scarce 150 of them escaping but thereby they put a stop to the enemies advance and preserv'd the City and Council The COURANT. Inter Serpentes et scorpiones Nemo securus Ingreditur St. Hierom. Tory. FOr all your Tatling Catholick Nat tho unhapily Cag'd since I saw you last yet defies the Wooden Ruff and the Whipping-post The good man avows to all the World He has done nothing to be asham'd of Truem. I told you then I should not meddle with the success of his present Adventures Nor will I dispute whether hebemore meritorious better be friended less Guilty or born under more indulgent Stars than his Sister Cellier 'T is certain their ends were the same though they pursued several means her story of Prances being Racks and his of Sir Edmondbery Godfrey's Killing himself being a like design to Sham that Murder from the Papists and load the Justice of the Nation with scandal But all I shall say is that he had long since a prior right and Title to the Pillory for if he be not belied this very Loyal Protestant was the Gentleman that besides some Cart-loads of bare fac'd Popery first Printed and Publisht a certain Libell the Reprinting of which from his Publique Copy after it had many days haunted the Town brought another to that Ignominious stand Tory. Prethee let Nat alone he 's safe enough and I think at this juncture your Faction have little cause to boast Truem. I know not what you mean by Faction for some Folks of late have got new Dictionaries and they call Religion Sedition the Nine and Thirty Articles Fanaticism drunken madness Loyalty horrid damming and swearing zeal for the Church Traiterous Papists good confiding subjects moderate Churchmen the worst sort of Whigs asserting liberty and property though in never so dutifull and legal away
acknowledge him the said Sigismund as King But before this Treaty was fully perfected Ziska dies Some say that he should bequeath his Skin to make a Drum of or that his followers should carry it about with them thinking thereby to fright their Enemies but this I conceive but a Fable and yet 't is little more than what our valiant King Edw. the 1 st did who on his Death-bed commanded that his Bones well boil'd from the flesh should in a fit Vessel be carried about by his Son 'till he had Conquer'd the Scots telling his Son that as long as he had his Fathers Bones with him none should overcome him This is certain that after his Death the Bohemians call'd themselves Orphans as having lost the common Father of their Country man nor will it be amiss to insert here his Epitaph written on his Tomb in the City of Tabor as we find it before the History of the Abbot of Vrsperge I John Ziska rest here in the skill of Military Affairs not inferiour to any of the Emperours or famous Captains of old A severe scourge of the pride and covetousness of Clergy-men and a most valiant Defender of my Country That which Appius Claudius being blind did for the Romans in well counselling and furious Camillus in valiantly exploiting the same have I done for my Bohemians I was never wanting to the good fortune of the war nor it to me I have foreseen though blind all advantages and opportunities of well doing and with Ensigns display'd have fought eleven times in the open Field ever victorious It seemed to me most fit and honourable to take in hand the most just cause of the miserable and hungry against the delicate fat and full-cram'd Priests and in this doing I have found the assistance of God giving a Blessing to my arms if their envy had not hindred it no doubt I should have merited to be numbred amongst the illustrious men nevertheless my Bones lye here in this sacred place without asking the Pope any leave and in spight of his Teeth John Ziska the Bohemian an Enemy of Priests that are covetous of dishonest gain but in a godly zeal After his death the Pope and Emperour thinking the Hussites much discouraged thereby as in truth they were sent several great Armies against them but still they were strangely discomfited for the Bohemians saith Monstrelet feared neither death nor torments their very Women took arms and fought and the dead Bodies of many of that Sex were found amongst the slain in several Battels Wherefore being not able to extirpate them by War they are invited to come in order to hearing their demands and giving them satisfaction to the Council of Basil Indeed most of the Bohemian Churches being sensible of the perfidious treachery used to Huss and Jerome at Constance were loth to send any Deputies thither but the Nobility over-rul'd the matter that some should be dispatcht to render a Reason for the Innovations in Religion laid to their charge Commissioners were therefore chosen and sent amongst whom the most eminent were John Rokizane of Prague and Nicholas Episcopius of the Taborens both famous Divines and of the Nobility Procopius the General of the Taborens and William Rastka Baron of Postupiez and others who being honourably conducted in their passage and courteously received at Basil They declared that at Constance they had been condemn'd unheard though they held nothing but according to the Scriptures and then exhibited the four Requests and Articles following desiring that the Council would grant them or allow them to defend them by Argument 1. That the use of the Cup may be restored to the people and that the Service of the Church might be in their own Tongue 2. That Clerks or Ministers might usurp no Authority in Seculars 3. That the word of God might be freely Preached without disturbance 4. That there may be publick punishment of publick offences These Articles being read the Popes Legate demanded if they had nothing else to propound because he had heard it reported that they affirmed that the Orders of Monks were from the Devil Procopius made answer from whence else I pray can they derive their original which was instituted neither by the Patriarchs nor Prophets neither by Christ nor his Apostles However a Conference was appointed and 40 days some say 50 the Disputation lasted and when the Bohemians could not be confuted by Arguments they were at last wheadled into a composition John Rokisane being himself corrupted with the hopes of an Arch-bishoprick seduced others of the Commissioners and so matters were subtilly carried that leave being given by the Council that they should enjoy the use of the Cup in other matters they were brought to consent These four Articles with some Explanations were afterwards named the Concord and Commissioners were sent into Bohemia from the Council and Emperour to declare that Realm was received again into the Bosome of the Church and a Diet being there Assembled on that occasion Rokisane very rhetorically explained and magnified the benefits of this agreement whereby so much War Bloodshed and Devastation as otherwise might have happen'd to the Kingdom was prevented and now he was pleased to mention the Pope and Cesar in other Language than heretofore when he was wont to stile the one the Whore and the other the Beast This Rokisane continued a pitiful Hypocrite long after and at last died uncomfortably Anno 1471. The craft of the Council in granting the Cup to the Bohemians provided in all other things they would submit was considerable for hereby they set at variance the Calixstines and the Taborites and consequently prevented all their further endeavours of Reformation and the pure professors of the Gospel henceforwards were as much hated and persecuted by those that enjoy'd the use of the Cup as by those that disown'd it It was no little grief to many especially of the zealous Taâ—orites to depart in this manner from the Doctrine and Discipline of Christ delivered to them by Huss and return again to the profession of the Church of Rome nor could they ever be wholly brought over to embrace it but the truth has remained still amongst them and great Persecutions have they suffered even to our times as by the History thereof brought down to the year 1632. and Printed at London Anno 1650. appears To return to the Council of Basil the other most material Decrees they made were 1. That no Actions Suits or Controversies should by Appeals be carried up to be decided in the Courts at Rome which were above four days distant from thence 2. A Regulation of the Cardinals that they should not be above 24 in number and to exclude the Popes Nephews and Kindred from that office 3. Against the payment of Annals or first fruits to the Pope 4. Against Priests keeping Concubines 5. They brought two new Holy-days into the Church viz. The Conception and the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary As long as
only with the Domestick friends of the Faith but also with the Enemies thereof Pope Eugenius went the way of all flesh Anno 1446. To whom succeded one Thomas de Sarzana by the name of Nicholas the fifth who had been Imploy'd by Eugenius in Germany to compose the differences and take the Emperour from siding with Felix formerly Duke of Savoy who was Created Pope as we told you lately by the Council of Basil and was still living during this negotiation he Contracted a friendship with the before mentioned Aeneas Sylvius and such â—avoâ—râ—n the Imperal Court that soon after he came to the Chair Foelix the Anti-Pope finding himself abandon'd voluntarily resignâ—d his Pope-ship Anno 1449. and accepted of a Legates place under Nicholas and so the Schism as they call it that is having two or more Popes at once and this was just the Thirtieth of that kind which had lasted almost Ten years was soder'd up and Cured The year 1450. was the great Jubilee held at Rome an excellent Fair for the Popes Merchandize and which brought him in abundance of Money Tanta multitudo Roman venit quanta nunquam antea There came â—saith Platina such a power of People the world was always full of fools to Rome as never the like was seen and one day there were 200 men and 3 horses and a Mule Kill'd upon Hadrians Bridg by reason of the Crowd The next year the Emperour Frederick takes a Journy into Italy as well to be Crown'd as to Marry Lonâ—ra the King of Portugals Daughter Pope Nick being naturally a Coward was very apprehensive lest Frederick calling to mind the antient Right and Authority of his predecessors should take upon him the Rule and Government of the City and thereof Fortified the Capital and Castle of St. Angels and all the Gates c. But he was more afraid than hurt for Frederick had no such design against him but being Crown'd and Married and magnificently treated for sometime at Rome peaceably returned into Germany When Constantinople was beseiged by the Turks the Greeks saith Antonius part 3. Tit. 22. C. 13 sent Ambassadours to Pope Nicholas Imploring his assistance of men and money but Nicholas would not hear them yet Platina would make us beleive he was so much afflicted for the loss of the City that it was one of the causes of his Death which happen'd Anno 1455. 'T is a remarkable odd story which Bodin in his Daemonomania and Jacob Sprenger the Inquisitor of Witches in his Book Intituled Malleus Maleficarum tells of this Pope viz. That a certain German Bishop being sick for whom Nicholas had a great kindness he understood by a Witch the Divel it seems was these Holy Fathers Oracle that his indisposition proceeded from Witchcraft and that there was no way in the World to Recover him but by a contrary Charm by which the Witch her self that had bejuggled him must die He therefore sends Post to Rome and begs Pope Nicholas leave to be Cured by this White Witch and accordingly his Holiness grants him a Dispensation both as to Imploying the Witch and the Murther that was to follow the Bull alleadging that he allow'd that same because of two evils we are to avoid the Greater the Popes worship had forgot that we are not to do evil that good may come on 't indeed that maxime has no place in the Roman divinity for by Blood and Murder force and fraud perjury and all kind of villany they pretend to advance the Glory of God true Religion and Holy Church well this License being arrived the Witch under the Popes Blessing and Authority at the Bishops Intreaty undertakes the Job and ply'd her business so much I cannot say so well that about Midnight the Bishop was perfectly restored to health and at the very same Instant the disease passed into her that had bewitched him whereof she dyed We come now to Calixtus the third named before Alphonsus Borgia who was no sooner Elected but he denounc'd War against the Turks saying that he had long since vow'd the same and in testimony thereof shew'd a note formerly subscribed with his own hand in a certain book containing the words following Ego Calixtus Pontifex Deus omnipotenti voveo Sarctâ—â— Individuâ— Trinitate me Bello maledictis Interdictis execraâ—ionibus dâ—mum quibuscunque rebus potero Turcos Christiani nominis hostis saevissimos persecuturum I Pope Calixtus do vow to Almighty God and to the holy undivisible Trinity that I will persecute the Turks Enemies of the Christian name by Wars Curses Interdictions Execrations and by all other means that I can 'T was a riddle to all present how he should qualify himself with the Title of Pope so long before he was Elected but it seems the mans head ran much upon it nor were the Threatnings of such an old decripiâ—e fellow for he was about Fourscore very terrible However in pretence at least of Carrying on this sacred War he laid a Tenth on all the Clergy of Christendome and publisht a Croysado according to Custome granting thereby full Remission of sins to all that should Contribute to that expedition provided that once in their lives and once at their death they were Confessed and also gave Authority to whomsoever would give Five Ducats to Absolve and dispence in many cases Alponsus King of Naples and Philip Duke of Burgâ—udy were admonished to Cross themselves that is to serve in person for in such cases all both Soldiers and Commanders wore Crosses on their outward Garments but as the business was suddenly started and for a spurt carried on with wonderfull vigour so in little time the zeal abated and the preparations declin'd Some few Gallies the Pope did equipp and put out to Sea that did the Turks some damage and sent a Friar with great presents to the King of Persia and the Cham of Tartary perswading them likewise to fall upon the Turk For a blessing on these Enterprises he ordain'd that a Bell should every day between Noon and Evening be Tâ—ll'd at the sound whereof whoever did on their knees mutter over 3 Ave Maria's and Pater Nosters should have three years and three fortieth parts of Indulgences that is to say for three years a man might live as he list and defie both God and the Divel and for the rest of all his sins being divided into Forty equal parts every time he mubled over three Ave's and Pater's at the tinkling of that Bell three of those parts should be wip'd off the score so that Foureteen bouts would Ballance the whole Account He likewise appointed a General prâ—câ—ssion or Letany the first Sunday of every Month in which whosoever assisted should obtain seven years and a seven fortieth part of Indulgences besides a Prayer in the Mass for Victory over the â—â—â—â—dels and he that said That had three years Indulgenâ—e If all these Baits of dâ—votion would make men Saints he yet had another trick would do the feâ—â— and
and afterwards Divinity he was scribe in the Council of Basil and Master of the Ceremonies and by them imploy'd in several Eâ—bassies and wrote the Transactions of that Council mainly opposing Eugenius and asserted that a Pope ought to be subject to a general Council Most remarkable is the Epistle he wrote to Gasper Schâ—â—ck the Emperours Chancellor Epist Aen. Sylvii 54 All men abhor and detest Schism the Remedy is brief and safe viz. That Princes or their Ambassadors Convene in some common place and conclude matters among themselves for he shall be undoubted Pope whom all Princes would obey nor do I see any of the Clergy so constant to Death as to suffer Martyrdome either for the one part or for the other we all commonly hold that Faith which our Princes embrace and if they should Worship Idols we would also do the same and not only deny the Pope but God also if the secular power press us thereunto for Charity is grown cold and all Faith is gone c. But Honours change manners no sooner was he Pope but he begins to sing another Tune and sets forth a Bull entituled Retraction revoking his former Acts and opinions and the things which he before had seemed to detest in other Popes he himself now both applauded and advanced So likewise by another Bull begining Execrabilis dated in the second year of his Popedome he strictly forbids any to presume to Appeal from the sentence of the Bishop of Rome to any future Council and pronounces all such Appeals whether of Emperors Kings Bishops c. to be void vain execrable and pestiferous In another Bull which begins In minoribus agentes directed to the University of Cologn Anno 1463 he professeth that it repenteth him that he wrote the Dialogue and other Books touching the Authority of the Council and is not ashamed to add That then like St. Paul he ignorantly persecuted the Church of God affirming now on the contrary that the Authority of the Pope is above that of the Church Representative and endeavouring to prove the same by the very same Text which before he had expounded in a quite different sense Nor was he less pragmatical in his Actions than his predecessors For the Augmentation of the Papal Majesty he feared saith Stella in his Life neither Kings nor Dukes people nor Tyrants but if they would not obey he Persecuted them so long both by Wars and Censures till he perceived them to be recovered Thus he became an enemy to Lewis King of France who went about to restrain the Insolences of the Clergy in his Dominions he Thundred forth terrible Execrations against Sigismond Duke of Austrea for that he had Chastised the Cardinal of St. Peter ad Vincula he deposed the Archbishop of Ments for having an ill opinion of the Church of Rome and brought many Towns of Campania to the submission of the Holy Seâ— But his Ambition cannot better be descry'd than from his 3â—6 Epistle where he offereth and promiseth the Empire of the Greeks to Mâ—homet the Grand Seignor if he would become a Christian and succour the Church that is to say his Faction that he might more easily rend and at his pleasure trample upon Christendome which he continually harrass'd with Wars Yet it must be acknowledged that he was more Learned and a man of better sense than most of those that have possess 't the Chair and till he was blinded with self-Interest had a very piercing Judgment of things as appears by these his following sayings or Apothegms recorded by Platina and others Proverbial Maximes of Aeneus Sylvius or Pope Pius the II. 1. Every sect grounded on Authority wants humane reason 2. The Christian Faith if it were not approved by Miracles yet ought to be received for its innate Honesty and Excellency 3. Marriage with great reason was forbiden to Priests and yet for the greater reasons ought to be restored to them Note that in some late Editions of Platina this sentence is struck out but it is in mine Printed at Cologn 1611 4. To search into and study the Course of the Stars is a thing of more delight and ostentation than profit 5. A Covetous man is never satisfied with Mony nor a Scholar with knowledg 6. Those who have the happiness to know most have the perplexity to meet with most doubts 7. Learning to the vulgar ought to serve instead of Silver to the Nobles as Gold but by Princes to be valued as pretious stones 8. Laws on poor people have force but towards the great ones they are Dumb. The COURANT. Quae tanta Insania Cives Creditos avectos Hostes Truem. ANd have you dispos'd of the House in Aldersgate-street Tory. Yes yes that little man is to be Abbreviated in Michaelmas Term and Sir Richard to enter upon the premises at Christmas so 't was resolv'd at our Club last night at the Queens Head I 'le assure you Truem. Very fine and who are the rest that you design the Two Gentlemen shall have the honour of being Executioners to Tory. Why not above half ascore Lords Four Aldermen and about Three hundred and fifty Commoners Truem. That 's a small business prethee let it be two or three thousand when your hands in But how will you do for Evidence Tory. Pshaw let 's have confiding Juries and wee 'l presâ—ntly find Witnesses enough in the divels-name there 's a spot of ground near Pauls where they grow as fast as solun-Geese do in Scotland Godwin the Tailor who swore his wife Colledges sister into Newgate tother day will do well for a young beginner besides we still maintain the old Reserve at 'tother end o th' Town on purpose for opportunity I saw some of them on Wednesday last in Fleet-street as fine as if the Divel were their Tailor they looked I 'le promise you more like Lords than Common Knights look look quoth a roguish Porter seeing them go by observe the difference all the while these fellows swore against Papists they were forc'd to sneak up and down and beg Coffee at the Amsterdam and dâ—ne five of them on a Loyn of Mutton but no sooner did they Tack and puff Shafâ—sbury into the Tower but Hey bâ—ys up go we The plate Fleet arriv'd it rain'd Lac'd Cravaâ—s and Beavers and the Fairies brought them New Suits and Guinnies in the pockets and ever since the miracle continues and they live like Princes Truem. But how if one of your Gazet-Sheriffs should not be willing to hold after this Tory. Nay then I faith Roger L'Estrange has spent his time and pains to a fine purpose Pray do you know what Company that Gentleman is of he has stickled more in this No-Choice than any Livery man of them all Truem. Who Roger hee 's a Haberdasher of small Wares Tory. Well you see he claws off Prance still Truem. Yes he went by there the other morning and put forth his Snout out of the Coach against Prances door and loll'd out his Tongue